ELIZABETH FICOCELLI

PRESENTATIONS FOR CHILDREN & ADULTS

Elizabeth Ficocelli has spoken to Catholic educators at national conferences such as the LA Congress and the National Catholic Educational Association Convention as well as to students in their school settings. Below are samples of her presentations. 

Classroom Talks

Grades: 2,3

"The Gift of the Sacrament of Reconciliation"

A thirty-minute PowerPoint presentation on the joy and celebration of the Sacrament of Reconciliation, an often misunderstood and neglected sacrament. The talk covers the two-part gift of the sacrament: the forgiveness of sins and the power of grace. I also share my own struggles with this sacrament as a Catholic convert and how God helped me to understand His great love and mercy in a unique and powerful way. Includes the reading of Child's Guide to Reconciliation, a book designed to help alleviate fears and anxieties about making this sacrament for the first time and emphasize the celebration of being able to start over again. 

Grades: 7,8

"Lourdes: A Place of Miracles"

A thirty-minute PowerPoint presentation on the story of Bernadette Soubirous and the famous apparitions of Lourdes in the year 1858. The talk covers what life was like in France in the mid-nineteenth century, Bernadette's childhood suffering from poverty and illness, the eighteen visits of the mysterious lady, the call for prayer and penance, the uncovering of the spring, the advent of cures and pilgrimage, the disclosure of the lady as the Immaculate Conception, the approval of the Church, the building of the "chapel" and the organization of processions, Bernadette's canonization, and the Sanctuary today as a center of healing and conversion. 

Assembly Presentations

Grades: K-5

"Life as a Catholic Author"

A thirty-minute PowerPoint presentation geared toward younger grades on what an author is and how I became one. The talk includes tips for aspiring young writers on how to become an author, focusing on the skills of reading and writing and the elements of a good story. It also talks about the process in which a book comes together, and the many people it takes to make that happen. Includes a reading of Kid Tea, a fun picture book for young children.

Grades 6-8

"Journey in Writing, Journey in Faith"

A thirty-minute PowerPoint presentation geared to upper grade students on my journey into the Catholic Church and my ministry as a Catholic author. The talk includes highlighted sample stories from my adult books, Shower of Heavenly Roses and The Fruits of Medjugorje. I also include excerpts from The Imitation of Christ for Children, a chapter book for children ages 8-13 on how to follow Jesus. The presentation encourages students to become aware of many ways God can work in our lives to lead us on the path that He wills, and the treasures we will find when we follow that path.

For Teachers, Parents, & Homeschoolers

“How to Prepare Children—and their Parents—for the Sacraments”

The sacraments are the special and intimate ways God becomes present in our daily lives. This presentation by adult convert, author, and mother-of-four takes a practical family approach in making these important connections to God come alive in our young children and their parents, instilling in all of us a deeper appreciation of our Catholic faith. A 90-minute PowerPoint presentation filled with creative ideas for the classroom and the home. 

"Lourdes: 150 Years of Hope and Healing for a Hurting World"

A 60-minute PowerPoint presentation on Lourdes, one of the most visited Marian shrines in the world. Beginning with the story of Bernadette Soubirous and the famous apparitions of 1858, this talk covers the establishment and of the sanctuary and its success in attracting millions of pilgrims, despite an increasing attitude of secularism in France and in the world. It discusses the advent of cures and pilgrimages and the development of a hospitality system second to none for welcoming visitors with illness and disability. Learn why a century and a half since the apparitions in the grotto of Massabielle, Lourdes has become an important center for physical, emotional, and spiritual healing, and a vital expression of Catholicity and the Gospel message today.

“Medjugorje: A Heavenly Plan for Peace”

Medjugorje is a tiny village that has had major impact on Catholics and people of other faiths around the world for the past twenty-six years. Since 1981, it is reported that the Virgin Mary has been appearing and giving daily messages to six visionaries. Today as married adults with children, the visionaries continue to witness to the messages entrusted to them. Learn what is at the heart of the messages, what the spiritual weapons are that Our Lady is urging us to employ, where the Church stands on the apparitions of Medjugorje, and how this special Marian place of prayer that has attracted more than forty million pilgrims is one of the most powerful conversion forces in the Church today. A 60-minute PowerPoint presentation.

“Helping Kids Develop a Personal Relationship with Jesus”

Children today are bombarded constantly with messages, distractions, and temptations that lure them away from the spiritual and create an over-emphasis on the worldly. Here are some practical ideas and activities to encourage children to consciously choose Jesus Christ as their true leader and, in the process, become happier and more fulfilled followers. Drawing from the wisdom of The Imitation of Christ, this 60-minute PowerPoint presentation is geared to teachers and parents who nurture the spiritual development of children ages 8-13.